CURRENT PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT
Ghetto Made: A Way Out
GHETTO MADE: A Way Out is a story about kids wanting a way out of the ghetto who, through their love of dance, create a revolution for peace—accidentally giving birth to a new American dance form known today as Hip Hop. This new all-inclusive multi-genre dance show is created by Hip Hop legend Steve “Mr. Wiggles” Clemente in collaboration with producer/director Ann Marie DeAngelo. The show will combine dance, theater, and film.
The show follows the path of Hip Hop pioneer Mr. Wiggles through the discovery and transformation of this uniquely American dance form. Mr. Wiggles is a member of the generation of Hip Hop dancers from the 1970’s and early 80’s who not only created early forms of Hip Hop, but who courageously took the form out of the street and onto the stage.
The show will be electric in terms of participating talent skills in various dance styles. But it will also reveal the unknown history of Hip Hop, bringing to light elements of early Hip Hop that were left out of the story when Hip Hop went mainstream. It will explore the influence of important subcultures including of New York street fighting (e.g., 52 Blocks), the art of Black Books and Graffiti jackets and how we painted our own clothing (Mr. Wiggles jackets are being featured on Lee denim in Japan!), and dance styles like Electric Boogies, the Latino dance style Dale Webo, and Mr. Wiggles’s trademark Ground Moves, Glides, Wiggle Walks and Hand Styles that continues to influence young dancers worldwide.
Development Trajectory
Fall 2022: Workshop in NYC. Created an outline, script, original music structure; began to hand-select talent
Spring 2023: A March/April workshop to rebuild Mr. Wiggles presence in NYC and to draw dancers adept at leaning specific styles. Casting begins.
Fall/Spring 2023—2024: Building small chunks of Show and film for documentary at the same time. Showcase/backers audition
TBD: Filmed documentary’s timeline
The Dancers (stylistically)
4 Bboys/Bgirls
2 Broadway dancers/singers
1 ballet dancer
1 contemporary dancer
1 Flexer
1 Rhythmic gymnast/other specialty
Total: 9 dancers plus Mr. Wiggles
BIO: STEFFAN “MR. WIGGLES” CLEMENTE Creator and Choreographer
Steffan “Mr. Wiggles” Clemente is one of the most dynamic and influential figures in the Hip Hop culture today. He is a member of the world renowned “RockSteady Crew”, “The Electric Boogaloos,“TC5” and “Zulu Nation” This multi-talented virtuoso is blessed with the ability to dance, act, choreograph, teach, produce music and is a gifted Grafitti artist. According to Ben Higa, writer for Rap Pages magazine, “Mr. Wiggles is Hip Hop’s jack-of-all-trades – skilled in Popping, Locking, Bboying, Graf-writing and MCing...” From theater to film to music videos, Mr. Wiggles was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Choreography for the show “Largely New York” and for a Drama Desk award for the Ghettoriginal production of “Jam on the Groove.” He won a Bessie Award for Best Choreography for the theatrical production of “So What Happens Now”; a play created by all the original Bboys dedicated to Buck, a Rock Steady Crew member who tragically passed away. As one of the lead members of Rock Steady he was honored at the first VH-1 Hip Hop Honors. He has worked with the likes of Graciele Danielle, Savion Glover, Bill Irwin, Lynne Taylor Corbett, Jason Samuels Smith and Anne Marie DeAngelo. He was commissioned to produce a musical piece for Kurt Weill’s “September Songs” working with accomplished musicians Elvis Costello, Iggy Pop and Betty Carter. He has been a featured artist at the world famous Apollo Theater and performed at the Kennedy Center honoring the Nicholas Brothers. Mr. Wiggles was also featured in a Skechers commercial as well as appearing alongside basketball great Patrick Ewing. Featured appearances and choreography for music videos include such artists as Missy Elliot, Usher, Madonna, Limp Bizkit and more. Mr. Wiggles tours the world extensively as a solo artist and with the Electric Boogaloos and Rock Steady Crew. He is a guest faculty member at several of the most prestigious studios in NYC and makes countless personal appearances at community and non-profit events across the country and abroad. He was one of the first to teach Hip Hop in a mainstream studio at New York’s Broadway Dance Center.
